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Moody Publishers or Moody Press, markets themselves as being “The Name You Can Trust.” In this, Moody proposes to Christians that they are true to scripture and to Christ. Masses the world over, however, who lean their eternal hopes on the doctrine published by “The Name You Can Trust” might be astonished to find that Moody Press should never be trusted.

For instance, in How Can You Be Sure That You Will Spend Eternity With God, by Erwin W. Lutzer (Chicago: Moody Press, 1996), Moody Press published:

The question is not whether we can remember the day or the hour in the past, but whether our faith is in Christ in the present. Are we now persuaded that Christ met all of our obligations for us when he died on the cross (p. 129).

Whether our faith be little or much, it must be directed to Christ alone, for God accepts only those who accept His Son (p. 113).

Upon initially reading these statements they seem to be quite scriptural. And they are. Surely no Christian would disagree with the idea that if a person is going to be saved his faith must be directed to Christ alone. Nevertheless, under the flag of magnifying Christ, Erwin Lutzer and his publisher, Moody Press, may actually oust Christ.

You see, according to Dr. Lutzer’s rhetoric, Christ alone is often theological code meaning that a Christian who turns and seeks salvation through some means other than Christ alone will still be saved. That is, “Christ alone” means that “works” of any kind or degree never affect salvation–even denying “Christ alone.” I know it sounds ridiculous (and it is!), but bear with me as I illustrate. Kindly consider Hebrews 6:4-6:

It is impossible for those who have once been enlightened, who have tasted the heavenly gift, who have shared in the Holy Spirit, who have tasted the goodness of the word of God and the powers of the coming age, if they fall away, to be brought back to repentance, because to their loss they are crucifying the Son of God all over again and subjecting him to public disgrace.

Now, in reference to this sober passage Moody Church pastor Dr. Erwin W. Lutzer writes and Moody Publishers spreads abroad:

We have to [concede that] the author is talking about true Christians in this passage…Yes, believers can “fall away”… they were beginning to doubt whether Christ was fully sufficient… Here is the point: is so long as they were returning to the Old Testament sacrifices, they could not be brought back to repentance. Clearly, they couldn’t be brought back to fellowship with God while they were sacrificing lambs on the alter… Yes, believers can fall away, but not to eternal damnation (p. 150).

One-time “believers” who sacrifice lambs on unchristian altars will ultimately be saved? On one side Lutzer says that one is saved by faith in “Christ only.” On the other side, however, he guarantees paradise to those who reject the faith completely and solidify their rejection by sacrificing animals on pagan altars to wash away their sins. To believe wrongly leads to destruction, resolutely asserts the doctor, yet the blatant rebellion and wrong faith of Christ rejectors leads to heaven? Painfully obvious contradiction!

Erwin W. Lutzer’s teaching is a meaningless, contradictory mish-mash of theology and humanistic tradition. Contradictions are the surest sign that a teacher needs to return to studying and stop teaching others. Erwin Lutzer, Moody Press and their editors are in serious error on foundational doctrines. Do not be fooled by “The Name You Can Trust.” Moody Press should not be trusted.